At least three Iraqis were killed and nine more were wounded in light violence. Karbala is on high alert for potential attacks ahead of Friday’s religious observance. Also, Gen. Ray Odierno publicly disagreed with a memo suggesting that U.S. troops could accelerate withdrawal from Iraq.
In Mosul, a gunman was killed during an attack on a checkpoint. A soldier was injured in a separate shooting. An off-duty government employee was shot dead. Two soldiers were wounded in a bombing west of the city yesterday. Security forces arrested a number of key al-Qaeda suspects, who may be behind the continued violence plaguing the city.
In Baghdad, a roadside bomb wounded four in Doura. A man suspected of killing a well-known journalist in 2006 confessed to the murder. Two separate bombs targeting a cellphone company left no casualties.
A bomb in Jurf al-Sakhar wounded two people.
Gunmen killed the brother of Mussayab’s police chief.
In Karbala, police learned that al-Qaeda is targeting pilgrims heading to Karbala for Friday’s religious observance. So far, 12 bombs were discovered and defused. Six suspects were arrested north of the city, after two homemade bombs were discovered.
Six al-Qaeda suspects were arrested in Jalawla.
In Khanaqin, the emir of the Nada region was detained in connection with the deaths of nine workers.
